Booster ram adjustment



J11!ly23,.1946. BDASHBAUGH I I 2,404,611

BOOSTER RAM ADJUSTMENT I Filed March 9, i945 INVENT OR 2 BY f "ATTORNEYPatented July 23, 1946 UNITED STATES BOOSTER RAM ADJUSTMENT Bernard D.Ashbaugh,

Mount Gilead, Ohio, as-

signor to H-P-M Development Corporation, Wilmington, Del., a corporationof Delaware- Application March 9, 1945, Serial No. 581,827

7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to fluid operable presses and, particularly, tofluid operable presses having a reciprocable main ram and a. boosterram.

It is often desired to close the movable platen of a press against thefixed platen at a rapid rate and thereafter toperform work with it at areduced rate. This is often accomplished by means of a booster ram whichis generall fixed in the head of the press and extends into a bore inthe main pressing plunger. Then, the fast movement of the platen isaccomplished by admitting fluid to the booster area While the reducedspeed pressing stroke is accomplished. by admitting fluid to both thebooster ram and the main ram.

In order to accommodate for different lengths of fast travel, means areprovided for accomplishing the admitting of pressure to the main plungerat a predetermined point in the travel of the press platen. This iscommonly accomplished by means of valving operated by the press platen Iand operable to interconnect the said areas. The necessary conduits andvalves to accomplish this shift-over of pressure are expensive andrequire time and labor to install on a press. Furthermore, theadditional hydraulic connections are subject to failure and require careand service to maintain them in good operating condition.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide in a presshaving a booster ram a means of shifting over from the fast closingstroke to the pressing stroke which does not involve extra valves.

It is another object to provide an arrangement according to theforegoing object in which the length of the fast closing stroke may beadjusted.

It is still another object to provide an arrangement according to theforegoing objects in which the adjusting means for the booster ram isreadily accessible.

It is still another object to provide a booster ram and adjustmenttherefor for an upward acting press plunger in which the adjusting meansis readily accessible. 7

These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent uponreference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through an upward acting press plungerhaving a booster ram and adjustment according to this invention;

Figure 2 is a similar view but showing the press in its closed position;and

Figure 3 is. a plan view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure l and showing aportion of the mechanism.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown a press platen I adapted toslide vertically on the strain rods I 2 and I4 and having connectedtherewith the ram I6 which has a piston I8 on its opposite end which isreciprocable within the cylinder 26.

The cylinder 26 comprises a flanged member adapted for being receivedwithin the bed plate 22 of the press base 24; The bed plate 22 issuitably connected with the strain rods I2 and I4 so that a rigidstructure results. 7

The ram I6 is bored as at 26 and reciprocably receives a booster ram 28which is bored'and threaded at 30 for receiving the threaded rod 32which is rigidly attached to the closed end of the cylinder by means ofthe shoulder 34 an nut 36. y 7

The ram 28 is provided with a plurality of axial bores 38 whichcommunicate the bore with the upper end of the bore 26. is connected bymeans of a plurality of inverted L shaped passages 40 with the space:beneath the piston I8. Fluid communication is thus had at all timesbetween the upper end of the ram 28 and the bore 30 and, when the ram I6advances upwardly a predetermined amount, between the upper end of thebore 26 and the lower endof the cylinder 20.

The ram 28 is also bored centrally for receiving a rod 42 which isslidably keyed to the said ram by a key 44. The rod 32 passes upwardlythrough the packing 46 and extends into a recess 48 in the platen ID.Attached to the upper end of the rod 42 within the recess 48 is a bevelgear 50 which is engaged by the bevel gear 52 on' the inner end of therod 54. The rod 54 is jo'urnalled on the spaced bearings 56 and has ahand wheel 58 attached thereto externally of the platen I0.

Fluid communication is had with the upper side of the piston I8 throughthe conduit 60 while a check valve 62 is adapted to permit fluid to passfrom the frame or reservoir 24 into the lower end of the cylinder 20through the passage 64.

A valve 66 is also connected with the lower end of the cylinder 20 andis adapted to connect the cylinder 20 with the reservoir in response toa predetermined pressure conducted thereto by the conduit 68 which isconnected with the upper surface Of the piston I8.

Pressure fluid is delivered to the booster plunger through a bore 10 inthe threaded member 32 which communicates through a bor I2 with aconduit M.

In operation, pressure fluid is delivered to the conduit I4 while theconduit 60 is connected with exhaust. The fluid from the conduit 14passes through the bores 72, I0, 30 and 38 to the upper end of the bore26 and advances th plunger I6 and platen It rapidly into position wherethe members 16 and I8 are about to close. Im-

mediately prior to the closing of the said members the bores 40communicate with the space above the booster ram and pressure fluid isdelivered to The bore 26 in turn:

the lower surfac of the piston H3. The ram and platen then advance themember 16 against the member 18 at reduced speed and increased pressure.7

Should the members 76 and 18 be replaced by other work members havingdifferent dimensions,

the hand wheelfili may be adjusted so that the.

T ram and extending through said mainram and booster ram 28 is rotatedand threads in one" direction or the other on the member 32. This Whilethis invention has been'illustrated' and 7 described in connection withan upward acting press ram, it will be understood that its utility isnot limited to that type of press but may be employed on a horizontallyor vertically acting press I ram as well. It will be understood that Idesire to comprehend such modifications as may be considered to comewithin the scope of the appended claims. I

I claim:

1. In combination in a fluid operable press, a platen, a main ramattached thereto for reciproeating the same, a booster ram foraugmenting the speed of said platen in one direction of movementthereof, means of admitting actuating fluid to said booster ram, meansresponsiVe to a predetermined relative movement of said rams to connectsaid rams hydraulically, and means carried by said platen and extendingthrough said main ram and into engagement with said booster ram foradjusting the position thereof relative to said main ram.

2. In combination in a fluid operable press, a platen, a main ramconnected with said platen for reciprocating the same, a booster ramextending into said main ram for augmenting the speed of said platen inone direction of movement thereof, means for admitting actuating fluidto said booster ram, means responsive to a predetermined movement ofsaid main ram and platen for admitting actuating fluid to said main ram,and means carried by said platen and extending through said main ramforadjusting the position of said booster ram relative to said main ram.

3. In combination in a fluid operable press, a reciprocable platen, amain ram attached'thereto for reciprocating ,the same, a cylinder withinwhich said main ram is reciprocably mounted, a booster ram adjustablycarried by said cylinder and extending into said main ram, means toadmit actuating fluid to said booster ram, passage means in said mainram adapted in response to a predetermined advancing movement of saidmain ram to effect fluid communication between said rams, and meanscarried by said platen and extending through said'main ram for axiallyadjus'ting said booster ram.

4. In combination in a fluid operable press, a platen, a main ramattached to sai laten, a cylinder within which said main ram isreciprocable, a bore in said main ram opposite said platen, a boosterram screw threadedly carried by said cylinder and extending into saidbore, means to admit actuating fluid to said booster ram, passage meansin said main ram for effecting fluid comsaid platen.

5. In combination in a press, a platen, a cylinder, a main ramreciprocable in said cylinder for reciprocating said platen, a bore insaid main ram, a booster'plunger' reciprocably mounted in said bore, athreaded bore in said booster ram, a threaded rod carried by saidcylinder and extend ing into said threaded bore, means to admitactuating fluid to said booster ram, passage means in said main ramforeffecting fluid communication between said rams in response to apredetermined relative movement thereof, and means for axially adjustingsaid booster ram for changing the amount of said predetermined relativemovement comprising a shaft extending axially through said main ramslidably keyed to said booster ram and a shaft extending transverselythrough said platen and in operative engagement with said firstmentioned shaft.

6. In combination in an upward acting fluid operable press, a press bed,a press cylinder carried by said bed, amain ram reciprocable in saidcylinder, a platen carried by said main ram, a bore in the lower end ofsaid main ram, a booster plunger reciprocably mounted in said bore, arod carried by said cylinder and screw threadedly engaging said boosterram for supporting the same, passage means in said main ram foreffecting fluid communication between the advancing areas of said ramsin response to a predetermined advancing movement of said platen andmain ram, means for admitting actuating fluid to said booster ramcomprising passage means in said cylinder, said rod and said boosterram, and means for axially adjusting :said booster ram relative to saidmain ram comprising a first shaft slidably keyed to said booster ram andextending axially through said main ram and into said platen, a secondshaft geared to said first shaft and extending laterally outwardlythrough said platen,- and means for rotatingsaid' second shaft wherebysaid booster ram may be threaded in either direction on its supportingrod.

'7. In combination in a press, a press platen, a main ram attachedthereto, a bore in said main ram'opposite said platen, a booster ramreciprocably mountedin said bore, a threaded recess in the endof saidbooster ram, a stationary threaded rod adapted for engaging saidthreaded recess thereby to support said booster ram, means extendingthrough said rod and boosterrarn to supply actuating fluid to saidbooster ram, passage means in said main ram for effecting fluidcommunication between said rams in response to a predetermined relativemovement thereof in the advancing direction, and means for rotating saidbooster ram relative to said rod to'eflect axial shifting of saidbooster ramcomprising a' first shaft slidably keyed to said booster ramand extending-axially through said main ram and into said platen, arecess in said, platenfor receiving the end of said first shaft, asecond shaft extending laterally through said platen and into saidrecess, gear means connecting said shafts and hand Wheel means connectedwith the outer end of said second shaft whereby rotation thereof iseffective to rotate said booster ram and, therefore, axially to shiftthe same.

' BERNARD D. .ASHBAUGH.

